Shark scavenging and predation on cetaceans at Abrolhos Bank, eastern Brazil
Although it is largely assumed that shark predation and predation risk are unimportant to large cetaceans, whales can make up large portions of the diets of some shark species. We investigated interactions between sharks and cetaceans in the Abrolhos Bank (16°40′ to 19°40′S), off the eastern coast o...
Published in: | Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom |
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315412001154 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0025315412001154 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0025315412001154 2024-04-28T08:23:24+00:00 Shark scavenging and predation on cetaceans at Abrolhos Bank, eastern Brazil Bornatowski, Hugo Wedekin, Leonardo L. Heithaus, Michael R. Marcondes, Milton César C. Rossi-Santos, Marcos R. 2012 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315412001154 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0025315412001154 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom volume 92, issue 8, page 1767-1772 ISSN 0025-3154 1469-7769 Aquatic Science journal-article 2012 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0025315412001154 2024-04-09T06:56:13Z Although it is largely assumed that shark predation and predation risk are unimportant to large cetaceans, whales can make up large portions of the diets of some shark species. We investigated interactions between sharks and cetaceans in the Abrolhos Bank (16°40′ to 19°40′S), off the eastern coast of Brazil, including scavenging and predation attempts on living humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ). In order to determine the frequency of shark bites on cetaceans, both living and postmortem, we used carcasses discovered along the coast of Abrolhos Bank between 2001 and 2010 and photographs of living cetaceans during systematic and opportunistic visual surveys from 2004 to 2009. We analysed a total of 221 cetacean carcasses, of which 150 (67.8%) were humpback whales. Large sharks had fed on 22.3% (35 of 150) of humpback whales carcasses, and 20.8% (10 of 48) of carcasses of other species. Only three living humpback whales (<1%) had bite scars from large sharks, suggesting that they at least occasionally target living humpbacks. Cookiecutter shark bite marks also were observed on both dead and living cetaceans, with numerous living humpbacks showing multiple bites. The abundance of humpback whale carcasses available over the Abrolhos Bank, mainly during the humpback breeding season, may be an important component of shark diets seasonally. Further work is needed to better understand the frequency of shark attacks on mysticetes, potential costs of sublethal injuries, and importance of whales to shark diets. Article in Journal/Newspaper Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae Cambridge University Press Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 92 8 1767 1772 |
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Cambridge University Press |
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language |
English |
topic |
Aquatic Science |
spellingShingle |
Aquatic Science Bornatowski, Hugo Wedekin, Leonardo L. Heithaus, Michael R. Marcondes, Milton César C. Rossi-Santos, Marcos R. Shark scavenging and predation on cetaceans at Abrolhos Bank, eastern Brazil |
topic_facet |
Aquatic Science |
description |
Although it is largely assumed that shark predation and predation risk are unimportant to large cetaceans, whales can make up large portions of the diets of some shark species. We investigated interactions between sharks and cetaceans in the Abrolhos Bank (16°40′ to 19°40′S), off the eastern coast of Brazil, including scavenging and predation attempts on living humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ). In order to determine the frequency of shark bites on cetaceans, both living and postmortem, we used carcasses discovered along the coast of Abrolhos Bank between 2001 and 2010 and photographs of living cetaceans during systematic and opportunistic visual surveys from 2004 to 2009. We analysed a total of 221 cetacean carcasses, of which 150 (67.8%) were humpback whales. Large sharks had fed on 22.3% (35 of 150) of humpback whales carcasses, and 20.8% (10 of 48) of carcasses of other species. Only three living humpback whales (<1%) had bite scars from large sharks, suggesting that they at least occasionally target living humpbacks. Cookiecutter shark bite marks also were observed on both dead and living cetaceans, with numerous living humpbacks showing multiple bites. The abundance of humpback whale carcasses available over the Abrolhos Bank, mainly during the humpback breeding season, may be an important component of shark diets seasonally. Further work is needed to better understand the frequency of shark attacks on mysticetes, potential costs of sublethal injuries, and importance of whales to shark diets. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Bornatowski, Hugo Wedekin, Leonardo L. Heithaus, Michael R. Marcondes, Milton César C. Rossi-Santos, Marcos R. |
author_facet |
Bornatowski, Hugo Wedekin, Leonardo L. Heithaus, Michael R. Marcondes, Milton César C. Rossi-Santos, Marcos R. |
author_sort |
Bornatowski, Hugo |
title |
Shark scavenging and predation on cetaceans at Abrolhos Bank, eastern Brazil |
title_short |
Shark scavenging and predation on cetaceans at Abrolhos Bank, eastern Brazil |
title_full |
Shark scavenging and predation on cetaceans at Abrolhos Bank, eastern Brazil |
title_fullStr |
Shark scavenging and predation on cetaceans at Abrolhos Bank, eastern Brazil |
title_full_unstemmed |
Shark scavenging and predation on cetaceans at Abrolhos Bank, eastern Brazil |
title_sort |
shark scavenging and predation on cetaceans at abrolhos bank, eastern brazil |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315412001154 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0025315412001154 |
genre |
Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae |
genre_facet |
Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae |
op_source |
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom volume 92, issue 8, page 1767-1772 ISSN 0025-3154 1469-7769 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0025315412001154 |
container_title |
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom |
container_volume |
92 |
container_issue |
8 |
container_start_page |
1767 |
op_container_end_page |
1772 |
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1797584376079319040 |